`Article X’ must be defeated

From kindergarten, Americans are taught to get involved in local government, to exercise local control over local affairs.

Now, politicians in faraway Albany say never mind, we will run your local affairs for you.

This treacherous thinking is embodied in the New York State Assembly’s 103-39 approval of so-called "Article X," which would give the state the right to site electric-generating facilities over local protest.

Now the Senate must vote _ and this requires anyone who believes in local rule, in democracy itself, to object immediately.

Article X is aimed, of course, at authorizing the Public Service Commission to approve wind turbines anywhere it pleases, even overruling the many town and village boards across New York state that have passed local laws restricting them.

Much more than wind turbines is at stake here. We are confronted by an all-out assault against a basic democratic principle: that local people, not distant politicians, know what is best for themselves.

Something else is at stake: the feeling widespread in Albany that we upstaters have as our sole function paying taxes and otherwise existing to keep New York City’s subways running and its residents supplied with drinking water and, now, electricity.

Contact senators immediately. Tell them we upstaters have lives and interests of our own. The state Senate _ and governor _ must halt this insanity.

Conrad Fink
Cherry Valley

As a resident of Colchester, I take offense to Jeffrey Harris’ letter of July 10. Mr. Harris asks, "Is it worth allowing people to continue to live in the town?"

The answer is "yes." Wiping Colchester off the map is NOT an option.

Mr. Harris "commiserates with those who have suffered." Really, why suggest the people of Colchester be bought out by the NYCDEP, or better yet, offer up eminent domain to have our property taken from us? The abuse of eminent domain in our country is at an all-time high. Selling out to the DEP because there may be another flood is ludicrous.

Did the people of New Orleans walk away after Katrina? No. Neither did the people of Walton and the greater Binghamton area last June, nor will the people of Colchester. As do people in times of crisis all over this fine country, we stay and rebuild. We do not walk away.

What Mr. Harris fails to understand and acknowledge is that during hard times because of flooding in our area, the people of Colchester stick together. It is times like this that make us a stronger community. Our volunteer firefighters, EMS workers, town and New York state departments of transportation employees (everyone who lends a hand) are the best there are in a time of crisis.

The most-recent flood had nothing to do with the Pepacton Reservoir.

Mr. Harris, with all due respect, don’t mess with our town.

Jeannie Langdon
Colchester